Ordering a custom knife frustrations

Buffalohump

Buffalohump

Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
6,211
I don't know about you guys but I seem to be having problems trying to get a custom knife order in.

Just recently I made two attempts with different makers and after exchanging a few emails the responses would suddenly just dry up and that would be the last I hear from them.

I dunno, maybe its me but I dont think the questions I was asking were unreasonable or I was being particularly difficult.

In the one case I asked if the guy could put together a drawing for me and in the other I asked if he could give me a price list for all his knives (because none of the knives shown on the site had prices and I figured it would come in handy to help me make up my mind).

What is the deal with these guys? I realise a lot of makers are busy and one man bands, etc etc but really its a bit exasperating when they just quit responding to your mails.

And I know for a fact a lot of makers don't even bother responding to mails at all....

Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else here has had similar experiences.
 
Unfortunately it happens.
I believe sometimes the chemistry is just not right between a maker and collector. For example, a maker who likes to only create certain designs/styles of knives and a collector who likes to have input into their knife's design.
However if that's the case them the maker should communicate such, not just stop answering e-mails and/or phone calls.

Seems like 'lack of communication' by either or both parties is the root cause of many problems between maker and collector.
 
Yep, Kevin, it is DEFFINITELY a two-way street between customer and maker.
One thing I might mention is that as my knives sell, I move the photos into "Gallery" pages of my site and remove my price that was on it in the "Available Knives" section.
Times change, prices fluctuate, methods used get improved or eliminated.
I would hate to be held at a price for a knife that I made three years ago.
That's why many makers remove the prices.
That being said, I always disclose this fact right up front to a customer if it becomes an issue.
Any maker who does NOT answer emails, take orders or disclose information relevant to servicing his clients must not need knife making as a way of making a living.
Or he's gonna have a pretty poor living.
 
I hope one of them wasn't me i believe i did reply to your email if not i apologize and i would encourage you to email me again and i will reply.
Buffalohump said:
I don't know about you guys but I seem to be having problems trying to get a custom knife order in.

Just recently I made two attempts with different makers and after exchanging a few emails the responses would suddenly just dry up and that would be the last I hear from them.

I dunno, maybe its me but I dont think the questions I was asking were unreasonable or I was being particularly difficult.

In the one case I asked if the guy could put together a drawing for me and in the other I asked if he could give me a price list for all his knives (because none of the knives shown on the site had prices and I figured it would come in handy to help me make up my mind).

What is the deal with these guys? I realise a lot of makers are busy and one man bands, etc etc but really its a bit exasperating when they just quit responding to your mails.

And I know for a fact a lot of makers don't even bother responding to mails at all....

Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else here has had similar experiences.
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Erik, you certainly did get back to me and in fact I'm not sure if I replied to your mail..... so in that case I was the one at fault and I apologise.

Erik Fritz said:
I hope one of them wasn't me i believe i did reply to your email if not i apologize and i would encourage you to email me again and i will reply.
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It's funny because 99% of my internet sales leads "disappear"... whether because of what I charge, the delivery time, the fact that tool steel blades might rust, or that a 30 pound sword is impractical, I don't know...

Lack of communication is the problem, but I feel that since I am the maker, my side has to be an open book. It is. A maker who can't be bothered to respond is busy doing other stuff, like Karl said.

Unless he/she is like I am and in a remote wilderness area most of the year (though I have a guy answer e-mail from my website; he forwards info to me by sms).
 
I've run into the same problems, but I just move on and have always been able to find makers that are fantastic to work with. I don't let stuff like that bother me.
 
In the one case I asked if the guy could put together a drawing for me and in the other I asked if he could give me a price list for all his knives (because none of the knives shown on the site had prices and I figured it would come in handy to help me make up my mind).
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I agree that not responding was NOT the thing that should have happened. Even if the maker didn't like what he/she heard from you, it's only proper manners to at least respond. I think the specific questions you asked might be what caused the lapse of communication. In my experience the client is generally the one who puts together a sketch/drawing, and then I often make minor changes in order to make the specific knife "better" for the specific type of knife. Often times creating a sketch based on spoken words is a long and loosing effort because the image in the client's mind, and the one in the maker's are completely different.

Unless the maker is the type that builds only a few specific models of knives, with very specific materials, asking for a price list of all his/her knives is asking a great deal. I rarely make two knives the same, with the same materials, etc. For me to compile a list of the prices for all my knives would be nearly impossible. For the reasons that Karl mentioned, most makers will not give you specific prices of past knives, because they would not be accurate. Most makers are willing and happy to give starting prices for each type of knife they make...for example my hunters start at $400, Bowies start at $800, etc. With all the options available in a knife, to be any more specific than that would be painting myself into a corner. Materials, supplies, forge fuel, and just about everything else we as makers use, to produce knives, fluctuates. Regrettably those fluctuations are usually in an upward direction. A customer is never angry if an order comes in below the estimated cost, but if it's $1 over, things can get ugly in a hurry.

The ideal way to deal with a maker is to have a general idea of what you want...type of knife, blade material, etc. and then talk to the maker about bringing your idea to life. Often times if you are too general in your request, a maker MAY think that you are not serious. If you are too specific, the maker MAY think that he/she will never be able to please you. You also need to be willing to make some concessions on the design or materials based on the Maker's input. All too often in the past I made exactly what a customer THOUGHT they wanted. In many cases I tried to change the customer's mind because from experience I knew they would not be happy once the knife was in their hand....and many instances have proven I was correct. Because of that if a customer is unwilling to accept minor changes, I will simply tell them that I cannot make the knife for them, and will try to point them to another maker who might be willing to produce the knife they want.
If the Maker(s) you choose do not communicate, that should be an indicator that it's likely not going to get any better, and you should probably look for another maker.
 
And then there's the makers who can't take an order, but have knives available for sale on a regular basis. Not necessarily a bad business practice because it tends to create a sense of urgency in buyers, but very frustrating for someone wanting a particular style of knife.
 
Durwood said:
And then there's the makers who can't take an order, but have knives available for sale on a regular basis. Not necessarily a bad business practice because it tends to create a sense of urgency in buyers, but very frustrating for someone wanting a particular style of knife.
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Honestly I can't blame a maker for wanting to follow that policy. From everything I've seen, taking orders is almost always more trouble than it's worth--from both sides of the coin.
 
bluejaunte said:
Honestly I can't blame a maker for wanting to follow that policy. From everything I've seen, taking orders is almost always more trouble than it's worth--from both sides of the coin.
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The argument could be made that "spec" knives are not customs. That's not my position, but the argument could be made. Spec knives bought from the maker are seldom exactly what anyone is looking for, IMO. Rather it's what you happened to "score". It seems to give buyers satisfaction that it came directly from the maker if even if wasn't made for them:confused:
 
Well, that's really the nut of it. I know emails can be a PITA but for some of us, calling on the phone is not an option.

Ed Caffrey said:
I agree that not responding was NOT the thing that should have happened. Even if the maker didn't like what he/she heard from you, it's only proper manners to at least respond.
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All i can say as a consumer, be patient with custom knife makers! I've been waiting some three months for my custom knife, and that is the way it is.
 
Glock26 said:
All i can say as a consumer, be patient with custom knife makers! I've been waiting some three months for my custom knife, and that is the way it is.
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Three months when waiting for a knife isn't bad.....three months before getting an e-mail reply however...
 
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